


Black As Coal

by Runie (Runic)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, Happy Ending, Intersex Loki, Jotun Loki, M/M, Pregnant Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-03 03:02:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1064979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runic/pseuds/Runie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is tradition for the Æsir to give cats to new brides. For Loki, the little kitten Thor gifts to him is all he has, until he falls into a conspiracy to rid Thor of his Jotun Queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black As Coal

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by marty-mc’s beautiful [artwork](http://marty-mc.tumblr.com/post/64031391948/okay-its-finished-theres-a-story-behind-this). I messaged her awhile ago asking if there was a fic for this wonderful piece, that I have in all honest, become obsessed with, and she said no. I had to rectify the situation.

Loki is not surprised when he wakes alone. His new husband had seemed much more eager to leave his bed than jump into it last night. Thor has stayed just long enough to do his duty, the evidence of which is still inside Loki and between his thighs, before leaving Loki alone. Loki has a foreboding feeling that this is a reflection of how all his time in Asgard will be.

The doors to his chambers open, interrupting his rather negative outlook on his future, and a servant walks in carrying a tray of food. She does not flinch when Loki glares at her, does not even acknowledge that there is a person who will be eating the food she places on the table. She retreats as quickly as she came, but before Loki can enjoy his solitude, Thor walks in with a squirming mass in his hands.

Thor looks less than happy to be in his presence again. Loki squares his shoulders and pretends to be indifferent to Thor’s disagreeability, because he is absolutely not hurt by it. He knew when he stepped foot in Asgard, knew when there was complete silence as Thor placed the crown on Loki’s head and declared him queen, knew when the kiss they shared after exchanging their vows was more frigid than any of Skadi’s storms, that the Æsir would see him as nothing more than a Jotun savage.

“Good morning, husband,” Loki greets, the hint of a sneer slipping into his tone.

Thor’s face does a strange twitching as he bites his tongue, holding back his anger. Loki had grown up on stories of Thor’s legendary rage, he had seen Helblindi after his patrol ran into Thor and his friends when they decided a romp around Jotunheim would be fun, but apparently Midgard, land of mortals, had changed him. Whatever had caused him to mature, Loki knew there would be no love between the newly crowned royal couple of Asgard.

“Wife,” Thor returns, because of course the Æsir must force their confining views of sexuality on others. “I have a gift for you.”

Loki’s eyes return to the moving ball of black fur, watching it suspiciously. It lets out a high pitched cry, causing Loki to glare at it. Thor opens his hands, and the little ball of fuzz pokes its head out. It mewls again, and Loki decides he hates the thing. “What is it?”

“It is a cat,” Thor explains impatiently. “This particular kitten was bred from Freya’s own beloved chariot pullers.” And no doubt is only being given to Loki because of his station. “It is our custom that new brides be given cats, both to help in the setting up of their new household and because of Freya’s connection to them.” Thor holds to kitten out to Loki, but Loki just looks at it with disgust. Not one for patience, Thor dumps the kitten on the bed and walks out without another word.

The kitten mewls again, prancing around the bed on unstable legs that keep getting caught up in the blankets. Loki throws back the blankets, the kitten shrieking in anger when its world goes dark. Loki ignores it, instead striding over to the table where the maid left his food. The fruit is shoved to the side in favor of the chesses and meats. There is also a saucer of milk which Loki guesses is for the creature.

Said creature finally untangles itself and mewls to gain Loki’s attention. Loki goes back to the bed and picks up the cat, glowering down at it before placing it back on its feet next to the saucer. “If I feed you, will you be quiet?” he asks the black fuzz ball. The kitten answers by trying to drink, only to stick its foot in the bowl and spilling half the liquid over the table. Loki rolls his eyes and pulls the cat to sit in front of him. “Honestly,” he says while dipping a finger in what remains of the milk, “everything in this world is working on half intelligence.” Loki holds his finger in front of the kitten, who eagerly laps the liquid before mewling happily.

/

The kitten is a female, and Loki decides he likes her after all after a day of watching her run around. She always comes back to Loki, and he realizes part of his acceptance is out of loneliness, but no one needs to know that. He names her Kolr, “black as coal,” for her pure black coat. Over the weeks, in which he sees his husband only when Thor stumbles drunkenly into Loki’s bed, Kolr becomes less of a fuzz ball, her coat quickly becoming smooth as silk. She goes everywhere with Loki. Even when Loki locks her in his rooms, Kolr still manages to find a way out and goes searching for him. Loki absolutely adores her.

Loki’s patience with his husband, however, is quickly growing short. Thor does not invite him to dinner, which Loki could show up to anyways seeing as he is Queen, but that is not the point. He knows his husband does not want him there, and it is not that Loki wishes to be there, it is that he _should_ be there. The maids who clean his chambers and bring him food are almost jovial in their gossip, purposely talking loud enough for Loki to overhear. It seems Thor’s former lover Sif is not so former. That, more than anything else, makes Loki see red. It is bad enough that Thor must be stinking drunk to fall into his bed, that Thor thrusts ruthlessly in Loki’s quim, as if he could not make it more obvious that he saw his time with Loki as a chore rather than a joy. His mind went over and over plots to make his husband pay, but all ended up discarded. It is his people that will have the worst of it if Thor throws him aside. Loki feels sorry for whatever child is born to them.

Kolr is there when Thor stumbles out of Loki’s rooms, annoyed by the interruption as she curls back into her spot on Loki’s pillow to sleep. She does not mind the chill of Loki’s skin, but purrs when Loki pulls her close and scratches behind her ears. If Loki is to live a life where he is forced into the shadows, at least he has one friend. In the very darkest part of his mind he admits to himself that Kolr is the only thing keeping him relatively sane.

.

When Thor wanders into his room, Loki is sitting on the rug in front of the fire he has enchanted to burn cold. Kolr, with her front paws on his leg, looks to Thor, then back to Loki with worried eyes. She has grown large in the year since Thor gave her to Loki, and Loki can read her expressions as well as if Kolr spoke them to him. Loki places a hand on her head, his thumb rubbing soothing circles between her ears.

“Husband, this is a pleasant surprise,” Loki greets, both curious and weary by Thor’s presence. Something has happened, for Thor does not stink of drink, nor does he stumble when he walks.

“Loki,” Thor responds grimly. He stops at the edge of the rug, looking down at Loki. Kolr removes her paws from Loki’s leg and debates whether she should bite Thor’s ankles or not. Loki pulls her into his lap, petting her head. She begins purring loudly, but her blue eyes, the same shade as Thor’s actually, remain open and trained on Thor. Kolr actually manages to make the noise sound rather menacing. Thor spares her a glance before his eyes go back to Loki. “You have been exchanging letters with your brother.”

“Yes,” Loki answers, not batting an eye. “I did not realize I was forbidden from communicating with my family.”

Thor lets out a noise of frustration, dropping onto the ground next to Loki. “You are not. But your letters have raised some concern with them. Prince Helblindi wrote to ask after you. He did not say it, but he implied that you do not sound well.” Thor shuffles around a bit, fingers messing with his cloak. “Are you well, Loki?”

Loki very nearly punches Thor for that. Instead, he releases Kolr and tells her, “You may bite him.” She looks rather excited at the prospect, placing both of her paws on Loki’s knees to bring herself up for a better view.

Thor gives Loki a bewildered expression, his eyes going comically wide. “I have done nothing to harm you.”

“Physically,” Loki adds. “But you have shoved me into a corner for the past year with no means to move. I knew when I married you I would be little loved, but for you to forget your Queen exists-”

“I have not forgotten!” Thor protests.

“Only when you have drained your stock of mead!” Loki counters.

He did not even realize Kolr had left his lap until she is sinking her claws through Thor’s boot and into his foot. Thor yelps in surprise, and only just stops himself from kicking out instinctively at the pain. Still, Loki sees the twitch of Thor’s muscles. He leans forward to grab Kolr, clutching her to his chest while glaring at Thor. Loki twists away from Thor as he stands, holding Kolr all the while. “Get away from me,” he growls at Thor.

“That was not my fault!” Thor jumps up, stomping after his wife.

“Of course not. Nothing ever is.”

“Loki, enough! I came here to talk to you about your letters! If Laufey thinks you are being mistreated, he will be within his rights to take you back and break our marriage. And if that happens, war is an inevitability.”

“Oooh, look, Kolr, the oaf knows a words longer than three syllables,” Loki coos to the cat. Thor’s glaring response is rather satisfying. “My brothers have known me for over a thousand years, they know when I lie.” Well, not all the time, but there is no need to tell that to Thor. “And if I stop writing, they will be demanding an audience with you faster than you can summon a storm. So, my _beloved_ husband, how do you propose to solve your little dilemma?”

Loki takes a minute to keep himself from grinning. If Thor is going to be as great a king as Odin, he is going to have to learn to avoid working himself into a corner. “What do I want? I want many thing, but for now I will settle on you getting rid of your mistress.”

Thunder sounds overheard, but it does not scare Loki. Thor can rave as much as he wants, Loki has given his condition and Thor has no choice but to accept them if he wants to keep the peace. “Who do you think you are to make such a demand?” Thor shouts.

“Your Queen and wife!” Loki returns, voice rising. Kolr jumps out of his arms and wraps herself around his shoulders, settling there so she can effectively glare at Thor. “You have disgraced me long enough with your dalliances. You may have your lover back, and I will take my own, once your heir has been born.”

The next thing he knows, Loki’s back is hitting the mattress. Kolr leaps off his shoulders, hissing and spitting as she hits the ground. “You want a child so badly,” Thor growls, staring into Loki’s shocked red eyes, “then I will give you one.”

Loki growls into the kiss when Thor’s lips descend on his, back arching to meet Thor’s challenge. He hears Kolr huff before she seeks refuge out on the balcony. Loki chuckles as he hooks his leg around Thor’s waist, throwing his weight behind it and rolling over until Thor is beneath him. He smirks triumphantly at Thor’s wide blue eyes. “Come now, Thor, surely you have more fight in you than that.”

Thor rises up, meaning to shove Loki onto the bed again, but Loki isn’t having that. They end up with Loki sitting in Thor’s lap, each trying to shove the other back. There is a thrill that goes through him when he feels Thor’s own desire rub against his thigh. Apparently all he needed to do to have his husband fuck him willingly, was piss Thor off. Loki smirks against Thor’s lips, his magic undoing the tie of his loincloth. Thor throws it aside, lifting Loki up enough to give him access to his own pants. Loki’s hand teases over Thor’s clothed erection, causing Thor to growl and shove at Loki again. Loki only laughs, and frees Thor.

Loki guides Thor’s hand to his quim, moaning softly when Thor’s thumb rubs against him. “You are wet for me,” Thor mouths along Loki’s collar bone.

“That does tend to happen when you take the time for a bit of foreplay, husband,” Loki mocks, his laugh turning into a cry of pleasure as Thor brings him forward and down, thrusting into Loki’s cunt without warning. Loki throws his head back, fingers tightening around Thor’s shoulders as his husband attacks his neck with teeth, following along Loki’s heritage lines.

“Loki,” Thor moans, fingers flexing against Loki’s hips. “Move.”

Another rush goes through him when Thor gives him control. Loki uses Thor’s shoulders as leverage and pulls himself up. He waits for a moment, until he hears Thor’s growl again, and lets himself drop back down, taking in Thor’s cock again. The feel of Thor’s wide girth stretching him sends a shiver up Loki’s spine. He repeats the action, Thor’s hands and lips wandering over his body. Thor is heat, the sun where Loki is the moon, and having such a brilliant star against his skin is almost more than Loki can take. It is not long before he cries out Thor’s name, wrapping his arms around Thor’s neck and holding on tight. Thor moans as he feels Loki reach his climax, uses his own strength to lift Loki up again, and again. Loki allows him, nuzzling his face against the side of Thor’s neck, one last shudder of pleasure going through him again as Thor releases his seed inside Loki.

Thor holds him close as they both catch their breath. It is a nice moment, one that could almost make Loki believe Thor’s desire for him had been real. “There is your child,” Thor says gruffly next to Loki’s ear.

Loki sighs and pushes himself away. “And just like that, the moment is ruined.” Loki flops down onto the bed, his back to Thor. He waits for Thor to climb out of his bed, but is surprised when Thor lays down next to him. He is not sure if it he finds it pleasant or annoying, but he says nothing. Both are asleep when Thor throws an arm over Loki’s waist and pulls him close, and Loki snuggles into the embrace.

/

Loki wakes the next morning to the sound of Thor’s grunt of disgust. He opens his eyes and sits up, keeping the sheet wrapped around him. “What is it?”

“Your cat vomited in my boots last night.”

Loki snorts. Thor turns to frown at him, but the motion give Loki a perfect view of his nose, which has four bright red scratch marks down its length. Loki collapses back onto the bed in all out laughter.

Thor rolls his eyes. “I would have you dine with us tonight, if you can manage to compose yourself before then…and keep your demon cat in here.” He glares at Kolr, who is sitting on the foot of the bed washing her paws. At the moment, Thor simply does not exist in her world.

“I will be there,” Loki answers, smile still on his face. “I make no promises on Kolr’s behalf however.”

“I doubt any could.” Thor shakes his head, his ruined boot in hand. “I have a meeting with the Alfheim ambassador, but I will see you tonight.”

Loki is still smiling when the door closes behind Thor. This is shaping into a rather good morning.

.

“Kolr, you are getting grease everywhere.” Loki sighs as Kolr pretends she has not heard him and continues eating the piece of meat she stole off his plate. Well, not stole really, Loki allows her to take her fill from his own plate so often that the servants have stopped bringing Kolr her own.

Loki shrugs, it is not as if he will be the one who has to clean the mess, and pops a strike of boar meat into his own mouth. It has been cooked in a honey based sauce, the sweetness trickling down Loki’s throat. He complains about most of their food, but sweet is not a flavor of Jotunheim, and Loki finds it fascinating.

Kolr yawns when she finishes, padding over to Loki and curling up in his lap. Loki scratches behind her ears, but Kolr continues making pitiful noises. Loki scoops her up, holding her close to his chest as he paces the room, the suddenly too hot room. He drops down onto the rug in front of the fireplace to check the enchantment. It is still in place, so the problem is originating from somewhere else.

But it is Kolr’s harsh breathing that concerns him most. She will not open her eyes, and even the pained whining has stopped, turning into a labored wheeze. Loki has no idea what to do, he had never encountered a cat before Thor handed Kolr to him. His mind wars with itself for a moment, but in the end there is only one person he knows of who can help Kolr.

“Guards!” he shouts. They come rushing in without a moment’s hesitation. Loki may be the unwanted Queen, but he is still Queen. “Bring Freya here immediately.” They bow and leave, rushing off to fulfill their orders.

Kolr’s breathing grows weaker, the room grows hotter, and Loki finds it difficult to think. Everything seems to be blurring together. The wait takes forever, or maybe not that long, Loki’s grasp of time slips away. But finally, _finally_ , Freya sweeps into the room, Thor following behind her. Strange, Loki cannot hear the usual ‘thud, thud, thud’ of his footsteps.

Loki looks up at Freya, still petting Kolr. “Help her.” He phrases it as an order, but there is no mistaking the plea in his voice.

Freya drops onto her knees next to Loki, placing a slim hand on Kolr’s stomach. The cat seems so small in his hands, much smaller than he remembers. “What is wrong with her?”

Freya says nothing. Her hand moves from Kolr to Loki’s forehead. She keeps her face calm, but there is a flash of worry in her eyes. She turns to look at Thor over her shoulder, and says, “We need Eir, immediately.”

Thor starts shouting, but Loki is having difficulty hearing. He reaches for Kolr when Freya pulls her from his hands, making a noise of protests, but he cannot lift his arms very high. Thor, however, is perfectly capable of lifting all of Loki and depositing him onto the bed. There is a flurry of activity, but Loki keeps his eyes on Kolr. Through the whispers, one word catches Loki’s attention: poison. He and Kolr have been poisoned.

Thor places a hand on Loki’s forehead, brushing his hair aside. “Will she be all right?” Loki asks, still not looking away.

Thor says nothing. Freya holds Kolr to her, whispering softly to the cat. Loki sees the spark of her magic run through Kolr’s body, ending her pain. A choked sob escapes his throat before darkness comes rushing up to swallow him.

/

Loki had not exaggerated. Without the letters to his family, Helblindi starts constantly screams at Heimdall for information on Loki’s condition after a week. Thor sighs when he hears, knowing that the longer he waited the worse it would be. There is no way he can hide something as big as the poisoning of the Queen of Asgard, not even from Jotunheim.

Thor goes to the Bifrost to meet Jotunheim’s Crown Prince. Helblindi’s face is grim, and he silences Thor’s greeting with the words, “Take me to my brother.”

Thor nods and leads the way to his Queen’s bedchamber. He hesitates for a brief moment as he steps over the threshold. This past week he has tried to be with Loki as much as possible, but it is hard to see Loki in such a state. The letter from Helblindi had made him rethink his treatment of Loki, but it was Loki sobbing over the death of his precious cat, the one friend Thor had allowed him, that made Thor realize he had shoved preconceived notions onto Loki without giving him a chance to prove them wrong.

Helblindi moves around Thor, the attendant he brought with him moving as well. He leans over Loki, placing a large hand on Loki’s forehead and staring down mournfully. If anyone says to Thor after this point that Jotun are incapable of love, he will fight them bitterly. There can be no doubt from anyone who sees the way Helblindi looks at his little brother that he cares greatly for Loki.

“Have you found the party responsible?” Helblindi asks, not taking his eyes from Loki’s still form.

“Yes,” Thor answers grimly. “They are to stand trial tomorrow.”

“I would be there,” Helblindi growls, his tone making it clear it will take the entire Æsir army to stop him if Thor says otherwise.

“So long as you agree to let us conduct this trial fairly, I would have you there to see justice done.”

Helblindi finally looks up, his red eyes boring into Thor, judging him. “My father sent me here to take Loki home,” he finally says. Thor’s heart stops, he knows too well what that will mean. “I have, however, convinced him to allow me to be judge of the situation. I warn you, Odinson, if your neglect is at the core of this, I will take him without hesitation.”

“I would advise against that,” Eir says as she sweeps into the room to check on her patient. “Queen Loki cannot be safely moved right now.” Helblindi starts to growl at her, but Eir, used to unruly patients, ignores him. “Your Majesty, Loki’s condition is stable for now, but you will need to change the charges against the traitors all the same. The Queen is pregnant, and as he is now, he may very well lose the child still. Moving the Queen,” Eir directs at Helblindi, “would most assuredly result in the child’s death.”

Thor is not sure what goes through his brain at that moment. Loki is with child, his child, and he may lose them both despite Eir’s skill.

/

The evidence is overwhelming. The culprits, one of the head cooks who made Thor’s own meals when he was little, and Captain of the Guard, who had a hand in Thor’s training, are sentenced that afternoon. To the men who testified against the Captain, Thor offers pardons, but strips them of their rank. They did not know what their Captain had planned, were unwilling in his treachery, but Thor could not leave them wholly unpunished.

Æsir justice is swift. As soon as they are sentenced, they are forced to their knees in front of the throne. Someone hands him an axe. The cook looks up at him as he approaches, uttering her last words for the whole throne room to hear, “I did it for you.” Thor feels no trace of sentiment as he brings the axe down on her neck, severing her head from her body.

Thor turns to Helblindi and offers him the axe, a symbolic showing that the King of Asgard realizes they have both been wronged. Helblindi does not take the axe, instead forming a sword of ice around his hand as he strides forward. The sword enters the Captain’s shoulder and down into his heart. His body drops when Helblindi pulls out the sword, the Captain’s blood pooling out to stain the golden floor.

After that, all there is to do is wait for Loki to wake.

/

There are people in his room. There are people in his room, were there while he slept, and now they dare to wake him up. Loki is not happy. And then the pain hits, stealing away the breath he was going to use to protest. A cry of pain escapes his lips before Loki can hold it back, and there is suddenly someone in his line of vision.

“My Queen,” the woman says gently. Loki recognizes her, she was at the inspection he had to endure before his wedding.

“Eir? What is going on?” Loki demands.

“You have been unconscious, Your Majesty,” Eir answers.

It comes back to Loki in a flash, Kolr’s small body struggling to breathe, the room heating up for no reason, Freya holding Kolr to her. Loki sits up suddenly, biting his lip as pain rips through his body again. “Kolr? Where is Kolr?”

Eir’s look of sympathy is enough. Loki falls back against the pillows, the heels of his hands pressed against his eyes to keep back his tears. The Æsir will not see him cry.

“My Queen, I know it is a hard loss for you, but you must come back to us. You were pregnant when you were poisoned, and you are currently in labor.”

Loki’s eyes snap open and he looks down at his body. Sure enough, there is a large bump where his child grew inside him. “Nine months,” Loki whispers in shock, “I’ve been unconscious for nine months.”

“Yes.” Eir helps him settle against the pillows. “Your water broke moment before you woke, but you are not yet fully dilated. There is time before you have to push. I have been injecting a mixture of nutrients into your body to keep your strength up, but nine months of sleep will have left you weak.”

Loki does not need her to tell him that. His limbs feel like jelly, but before he can snap a retort at her, Helblindi comes crashing into his chambers. Loki does cry then. His brother is here, Helblindi who always stood up for him, who told him stories, who comforted him when their mother died, is somehow here when Loki needs him most. He does not bother trying to hide his tears this time. Loki reaches out for him, calling out in their own language, _“Brother!”_

Helblindi grasps Loki’s hand between his own, holding it to his forehead. The cool rush of another Jotun’s touch hits Loki’s heart, making him realize just how much he has missed his home. _“Loki, you had me terrified,”_ Helblindi confesses. _“I thought you would never wake.”_

_“And never terrorize you again?”_ Loki tries to joke, but there are tears streaming down his face. _“You know I could never pass up the chance to do so.”_

Helblindi lets out a broken laugh, clutching Loki’s hand tighter.

It is only then that Loki realizes Thor is there as well. He looks torn between relief and fear, it is a rather strange expression. “Loki,” he whispers, taking a step forward when Loki notices him.

Loki wants to shrink back into his pillows, away from Thor. What if it was Thor who tried to poison him? What if his kindness had simply been an act? Helblindi senses his train of thought, and allows it to go no further. _“The conspirators were caught and tried months ago, I was there myself. Your husband has spent every available moment with you, including his nights. Whatever he showed you before, nearly losing you has caused him to change.”_

_“You would have me welcome him with open arms.”_

_“I would have you not destroy your chance at happiness.”_

Loki hesitates a moment, but comforted by the presence of his brother, eventually nods. “Husband,” Loki calls, and Thor is by his side in a flash, kneeling next to Helblindi.

“Loki,” Thor repeats. “I am sorry, for everything. I should have treated you better, I never should have treated our marriage vows with such disrespect.” He is talking so fast Loki can barely understand him.

“Slow down, Thor. I can only take in so much at once, and I learned only minutes ago that I am to birth a child this day.”

“Yes,” Thor nods, that bright smile spreading across his lips. “There will be time for it later.”

“Queen Loki,” Eir calls from her position between Loki’s legs. “You are fully dilated. It is time to start.”

Loki grasps Helblindi’s hand harder, refusing to let him go. His screams scare Thor, but he does not leave. He stays right beside Loki throughout the whole process, Eir’s assistances sometimes shoving their king out of the way. Loki looses himself in the pain, tries to focus only on Eir’s voice and Helblindi’s hand, but as Eir said, he is weak, and the birth is difficult. At one point Loki fears that he woke only to sleep again, this time for good. Helblindi whispers to him the whole time, trying to comfort him. Loki’s ability to focus on the words comes and goes, but he eventually picks up that Helblindi is repeating the stories Mother told them as children. Honestly, Loki does not know what he would do without his big brother.

And just when Loki thinks it will never end, Eir holds up a mass of failing limbs, the babe whimpering in her arms. Loki falls back against the pillows, turning to smile at Helblindi and Thor. “You did well,” Helblindi reassures him, using his free hand to smooth back Loki’s hair.

Eir comes back into Loki’s line of sight, carrying Loki’s now swaddled child. “Congratulations, Your Majesties,” she says, handing the baby down to Loki. It is only then that Loki untangles his hand from Helblindi’s. “You have a son.”

Loki looks down at the pale child, a tuff of dark hair on his head. He is still whimpering, keeping his eyes closed against the bright new world. For the past few hours, Loki has been worried that he would be unable to love his child, that he would be unable to see it as his own what with not knowing of its existence during the actual pregnancy. All those thoughts fly away when he holds his son. Loki’s heart swells, and he admits he has never loved anyone so much.

Thor takes Helblindi’s spot, leaning over Loki’s shoulder to look at their son. “He is perfect.”

“I will need to give him a more thorough examination soon,” Eir interrupts them.

“You think something is wrong?” Loki asks, his happiness corrupted by fear.

“Perhaps; he was just conceived when you were poisoned,” Eir answers, never one to dance around an issue.

“Do not worry, Loki,” Thor whispers to him, even though it sounds like there is fear in his own voice. “He is here, and safe, and we will allow nothing to happen to him.”

Loki can only hope Thor is not offering him false hope.

/

Loki hums softly to their son while Eir gives Thor the news. It does not matter what she says, he loves his son more than he ever thought it was possible to love someone.

“His lungs have not formed properly,” Eir tells her King.

Thor balks. “What can we do?”

“There are spells we can use to help him, but any strenuous activity will be beyond him. My lord, he can never be a warrior.” That is a crushing blow of the heir to the throne of a warrior culture. “Melee combat will work his lungs beyond their capabilities, but it is something he can live with, so long as you are careful about what you allow him to do.”

Thor nods slowly, processing the information. “Thank you, Eir.”

Eir bows and leaves the royal couple alone with their new baby.

“Loki,” Thor says softly, kneeling next to his wife, “did you hear what Eir said?”

“I did,” Loki answers, cooing as his son clutches his finger. “I still love him.”

Thor grins, pressing a kiss to Loki’s temple. “As do I.”

There is silence for a long while as they both study their son. Loki moves his hand through the tuff of dark hair before saying, “I would like to name him Kolr.”

“After your cat?”

“That cat was my best friend, and had you not given her to me, that poison would have killed me…would have killed both of us. I know you think of her as just a cat-”

“It fits him,” Thor interrupts. “Kolr,” he coos down at the baby.

Kolr opens his eyes, revealing the bright blue shade of them he has inherited from his father. Loki and Thor both chuckle, because Kolr has his mother’s scowl down to a tee.

“Beautiful little Kolr,” Loki whispers, praise in his voice, “you will be the most beloved child in all the Nine Realms.”

/

Epilogue

“Mother!”

Loki lets out an ‘umph’ as Kolr races the short distance down the hall and wraps his arms around his mother’s waist. The Vanir and Alfheim ambassadors bow and politely walk away, knowing that the Queen will have no more interest in business when his son is so close. Kolr smiles up at Loki, the little ball of energy jumping up and down. “Look, Mother, look!” Kolr calls, pointing excitedly back at his father.

Thor is making his way down the hallway at a more measured pace, a large deer thrown over his shoulders. Sif, who Thor true to his word has given up as a lover and kept only as a friend, and the Warriors Three trail behind. “Surely that is not your catch, Kolr?” Loki places a hand on the back of his son’s head, eyes widening in surprise.

“Yes!” Kolr answers, bouncing up and down again.

“With a single arrow!” Thor adds, now close enough to hear their conversation.

A combination of spells woven into Kolr’s lungs, as well as a mastery of teleportation spells Loki insisted he learn, had allowed Kolr to practice with the bow. He had shown a natural talent for it, and he had shown such excitement at being able to participate in a martial activity, that neither Thor nor Loki had the heart to tell him no. Instead, they did all they could to make sure he was safe.

Thor sweeps an arm around Loki’s waist, pulling his wife into a passionate kiss. Loki pushes at Thor’s shoulders until he is able to escape, but Thor still trails kisses down his neck. “You smell disgusting, and there is a dead carcass around your neck,” Loki protests.

Sif, knowing where this is headed, takes the deer from Thor and offers a hand to Kolr. “Come, young Prince, let us take your prized kill to the kitchens before your parents become too absorbed in one another and forget the rest of the world exists.”

Kolr takes her hand, Sif his favorite person after his parents and grandparents (although they had disappeared to who knows where once again after Kolr’s tenth birthday), and waves to his parents before allowing himself to be led down the hallway.

“No more carcass,” Thor purrs, leaning in for another kiss.

“You need work on your seduction skills, husband,” Loki counters, jokingly pushing at Thor in another attempt to escape. “And you still smell.”

“I smell manly!” Thor protests.

Loki sighs in exasperation. “Honestly, Thor, your seductions skills are so lacking I would fall into bed with you only out of pity.”

“I have no plans of making it to the bed.” Thor grins, and before Loki can protest, drops down onto his knees, positioning his head between Loki’s legs. His tongue flicks out to tease along Loki’s quim.

Loki’s fingers tangle in Thor’s hair, and he gives a shout of surprise, which turns into a moan of pleasure.

No one walks into the hallway to bear witness to their lovemaking, but half of Asgard most certainly hears it.


End file.
